Chapter 22

“You’ve been coming home early lately. That’s good, very good.”  

Vanessa, the Head Maid, greeted Bryce at the mansion entrance with a bright smile.  

He used to return late every night, but recently he often had dinner at the mansion.  

“Master Ray is having dinner. Shall I prepare your meal as well?”  

“Alright.”  

“Miss Astrid hasn’t returned yet. We sent a carriage, but she only sent a note saying she’d be late.”  

“Is that so?”  

Vanessa showed Bryce a small piece of paper from her pocket.  

[Expecting to return late due to extra work at the pharmacy]  

Seeing Bryce’s eyebrows twitch slightly, Vanessa spoke again.  

“Being both a pharmacist and a nanny must be quite demanding.”  

“We discussed the possibility of her coming home late during the contract. Don’t worry too much.”  

“Oh, I see. I checked the contract but didn’t see anything like that, so I wasn’t aware. I’ll keep it in mind.”  

The emergency light in the mind of the maid, who had lived over half a century, switched on.  

‘Why is he being so protective? Ever since the robe incident, things have felt strange.’  

What kind of person was Duke Conver?  

Unlike the previous Duke, who was kind and generous, the young Duke was thorough, meticulous, and sensitive.  

His experiences during difficult times must have intensified these traits.  

He was especially strict about separating public and private matters.  

Yet, he didn’t specify the discussed details in the contract?  

Something was odd.  

‘Why? Because she’s Master Ray’s nanny? Is that really the only reason?’  

Hmm. Vanessa tilted her head in thought.  

It was the first time Bryce and Ray were having dinner alone without Astrid.  

Perhaps that’s why there was an awkward silence.  

“How was your lesson today?”  

“Um… it was fine.”  

Ray thought for a moment before giving a positive answer to Bryce’s question.  

“What’s your favorite subject? Swordsmanship? Music?”  

“I like them all. I’m good at everything.”  

“That’s good to hear.”  

Bryce smiled warmly at his confident son.  

Every night, Owen, the Head Butler, reported on Ray’s lessons, and it seemed Ray’s confidence wasn’t unfounded, given the praise from each teacher.  

“Is Miss Astrid often late like this?”  

“Yes, sometimes. As is always busy.”  

“I see.”  

Once again, an awkward silence fell.  

Only the sound of utensils clinking echoed quietly in the spacious dining room.  

Watching them, Vanessa held back a sigh she couldn’t voice.  

‘It’s so awkward between father and son.’  

The Head Maid of the Conver Ducal House was deeply concerned.  

Something needed to be done.  

* * *  

“We’ve arrived.”  

The hired carriage she was in stopped in front of the Ducal House gates.  

Normally, she would take the carriage provided by the Ducal House after work, but today, due to an investigation related to the Lesper Merchant Guild, she had to take a hired carriage because she was late.  

Hired carriages cannot pass through the gates of a noble mansion.  

She stepped out of the carriage lightly, greeted the gatekeepers, and entered through the gates.  

Walking along the long driveway from the gate to the mansion reminded her of when she first set foot here with Ray.  

‘My hands were shaking, and I was sweating… it was chaos.’  

It was a day of unexpected events.  

Though it hadn’t been a month since then, she had adapted enough to look back and laugh.  

The grand mansion of an ancient noble family revealed its majestic beauty even more at night.  

The lanterns placed throughout flickered, making the giant building seem alive.  

Though it was late at night, the driveway was lined with lanterns at regular intervals, making it easy to walk.  

It was a stark contrast to the nights at the pitch-black cabin in the woods.  

She looked up at the sky absentmindedly.  

“Of course… it’s too bright, so I can’t see many stars. Tsk.”  

Of course, when you gain something, you lose something.

She grumbled, pouting her lips.  

She missed the cozy cabin.  

“Just wait a little longer, house. In a year, you won’t be alone.”  

Because I’ll return.  

Neil couldn’t understand why she clung to that house.  

「The business is doing so well, you’re raking in money! Why do you just save it and not spend it?」  

「Who said I’m raking it in? Until the business is truly stable, you never know when a large sum will be needed. I don’t want to waste money unnecessarily. Besides, I like this house.」  

「You can’t take money to the grave, you know.」  

「Neil, don’t say things you don’t know. Money is best when taken to the grave.」  

「Wow, that’s harsh, really harsh.」  

「What about you, Neil? You earn as much as I do, yet why do you live like that?」  

「What! As? Are you comparing our two-story house in the city to this tiny cabin? Are you out of your mind?」  

「Ugh, if you’re just going to nag about useless things, please disappear.」  

「Disappear? Isn’t that too harsh?」  

Neil was truly upset that day, glaring at her before turning away sharply.  

Recalling his consistent demeanor made her chuckle.  

Five years ago, the pharmaceutical business Neil and her started under pseudonyms had gone exceptionally well, allowing them to purchase a small estate and noble titles abroad.  

Thanks to the memories of reading the original novel, she anticipated the spread of an epidemic and developed a cure in advance, which was the secret to the business’s success.  

Now, she had hired a professional manager and received weekly reports to oversee the business.  

When Ray turns ten, she had a vague plan for him to live in a grand mansion with a noble title.  

Until then, she wanted Ray to experience life in the small cabin in the woods, catching crayfish in the stream by day and gazing at stars by night, even if it was a bit humble.  

Having memories of multiple past lives, she believed that while money was very important, there were things more important than that.  

For example, the feeling of being loved just for existing, or childhood memories of falling while trying to catch crayfish and falling asleep while watching stars.  

However, her carefully laid plans for Ray had become futile dreams.  

‘I should go and clean up soon.’  

She left in such a hurry that she barely tidied up or secured the house.  

While pondering when to go, she heard a rough voice carried by the cool night air.  

“Huh. Ha…”  

‘Is someone training? Who is it? Knights? The training ground isn’t here; it’s behind the mansion…’  

She instinctively turned towards the sound.  

She thought it might be good to find a suitable place for physical training and sword practice this time.  

As a nanny employed by the mansion, using the training ground felt awkward.  

‘It seemed to come from around here… Where is it?’  

Though she walked quite a distance down the small path from the driveway, the voice was gone.  

As she was looking around the dark garden, she felt a chilling sensation on the back of her neck.  

Even with her sensitive senses, she hadn’t detected someone approaching from behind.  

She slowly raised her hands.  

It was a gesture indicating she had no intention of attacking.  

“Oh, it’s you, Miss Astrid. My apologies.”  

A familiar voice came from behind.  

Though it was mingled with rough breaths, it was undoubtedly the voice of Duke Bryce Conver.  

“It was you, Your Grace. Ha, haha.”  

The sword aimed at her neck withdrew smoothly.  

Whew, she exhaled the breath she had been holding and looked up at Duke Conver.  

The sweat on his face glistened under the faint light.  

His image of brushing back his damp hair in the wind was so unreal that she was momentarily speechless.  

Even in a disheveled state, covered in sweat and dust, how could he look so handsome?  

She opened her mouth, shaking off the overwhelming stimulation to her optic nerves.  

“You were training.”  

“I do it every night. But what brings you here?”  

“I was passing by and heard the voice, so I came.”  

“…Would you like to join, Miss Astrid?”  

“Me? I…”  

Just as she was about to decline, Duke Conver’s lips curled into a peculiar smile.  

“I can’t resist seeing the skills of someone who took down three of Geiser’s men alone.”  

“That, that was…”  

“That was?”  

His sparkling eyes were full of mischief, as if to say, go ahead and make an excuse.  

Not knowing what to say, she hesitated until he spoke again.  

This time, he lowered his voice, speaking as if whispering.  

“I also want to see the skills of someone suspected to be Basler’s secret informant…”  

“What?”  

She couldn’t stop her eyes and mouth from widening simultaneously.  

So he did know, huh?

She was too shocked to even think about denying it.  

But what was this way of speaking?  

Was he saying he suspected but wouldn’t probe further?  

Unable to remain silent, she wiped her expression clean and spoke.  

“Basler’s secret informant… I think there’s a misunderstanding.”  

“A misunderstanding?”  

“I’m just a pharmacist with good sword skills. Basler is out of the question.”  

“I see. Then if you show the skills of a pharmacist with good swordsmanship, I’ll ask no more questions and believe you.”  

Duke Conver handed her a wooden sword.  

She hesitated.  

Once suspicion takes root, it doesn’t easily disappear.  

Whether she took the wooden sword or not, he would likely continue to suspect her as Basler’s informant.  

But since there was no evidence, she wanted to end this situation without admitting anything.  

Moreover, facing the wooden sword made her blood boil, as her body was itching for action.  

“Alright. But promise me you won’t ask any more questions about my identity after today.”  

“I promise.”  

She accepted the wooden sword he offered and went to the weapon rack to pick up another wooden sword.  

Holding the wooden swords firmly in both hands, she faced him and smiled brightly.  

“I’m ambidextrous.”  

Pfft, Duke Conver laughed, adjusting his grip on the wooden sword.  

The night air between them was tense.